Drought in Willacy, Texas

The March 31, 2026 Drought Monitor brought a small sliver of Exceptional (D4, highest level) Drought into western Inland Willacy, with Extreme (D3) and Severe (D2) remaining in similar areas farther east compared with prior weeks. Unknown as of this writing were impacts on Willacy's known dryland crop production; estimates may be provided later this summer.

March 31, 2026, was a red-letter day for the southern tip of Texas in terms of drought. Months of dry, top-five to ten warmest, low humidity, and breezy weather took its toll - and by the 31st, all areas were at Severe (D2) or higher, with 95% of the region at Extreme (D3) or higher, and a whopping 54.79% at Exceptional (D4) conditions. Soon after, on Easter Weekend, the worst drought in 13 years would begin to crack with the start of spring rains, which continued through at least the end of May.

Still, there were likely notable crop production/harvest losses in the Valley, and cattle herd production losses across the ranchlands, who had the longest duration of D3 and D4 conditions.